Fuel injector



Sept. 7, 1954 A. G. BELL 2,688,516

FUEL INJEc'roR Filed sept. s, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 84 f2 mm 50 fm. Gttomcg Snoenlor A. G. BELL.

FUEL INJEc'roR Sept. 7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1951 GROWTH 0F (7k/FICE AREAS Snuentor F10/WP T194 VfL ALM/v 6. SELL Gttomeg Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNIED STATS ATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to means for periodically discharging relatively small quantities of uid at high pressure and deals more particularly with an injector for discharging a spray of liquid fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. While the present invention has many uses where high pressure injection of a liquid is required, the same is particularly adapted to inject fuel into the combustion chambers of diesel engines and the following disclosure is based on a fuel injector for diesel engines.

The quantity of fuel periodically discharged into the combustion chamber of a diesel engine is quite small being in the nature of a fraction of a drop which is disintegrated into a fine spray capable of ignition under temperatures induced by compression of the charge in the presence of air previously drawn into cylinder and combustion chamber. It is important that the fuel injection be accomplished under continuous high pressure to insure proper atomization. Also, that the charge be at a continuously increasing rate and have a sudden cutoff to obviate terminal droplets and the deleterious effects resulting therefrom. In other words, ideal fuel injection entails a gradually increasing spray that is instantly stopped prior to maximum compression.

The speed with which such fuel injection must be accomplished has in the past made it difficult to achieve ideal fuel injection and it is an object of the present invention to provide novel means for controlling the orifices through which a fuel charge passes into a combustion chamber so that ideal injection is more nearly approached.

While liquids have been considered to be incompressible, it has been demonstrated that under relatively high pressures, in the nature of 2000 to 6000 pounds per square inch, volatile liquids such as used as fuel, are compressible between 2% and 5% of the initial volume. The present invention makes use 0f this compressibility to create a high pressure in the injector while mechanically opening the spray orifices against this pressure and then utilizing the pressure loss that follows injection to suddenly stop injection, the same being followed by controlled replacement of the fuel that was discharged. Another object of the invention is to provide means to accomplish the foregoing.

Since the fuel charge is dependent in quantity on the load and/or speed of an engine, it is an other object of the invention to provide plural controls for the injection orifices and to provide a time lag that enables either all or less than all of the orifices to open, as the case may be.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a fuel injector that is provided with a fuel chamber having an inlet and an outlet, providing means to create pressure in the chamber to maintain said inlet and outlet closed, and providing improved means controlled by the pressure means that mechanically opens the outlet, the resultant pressure loss in the chamber allowing the inlet to open to replenish the fuel supply in said chamber.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fuel injector embodying featuresof the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of orifice controlling means employed in the invention.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the means shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fuel injector.

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view as taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of Fig. 5, the view being an enlargement of the lower right-hand portion of Fig. 1, but in an orifice-open position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a modification.

Fig. 8 is a graphic diagram showing the growth of orifice area obtained by the present means.

The fuel injector that is illustrated comprises, generally, a body I0 in which is provided a pressure chamber II, a fuel inlet I2 and plural fuel outlet means I3, control valve means I4 for the outlets I3, spill and inlet valve means I5 for the inlet I2 and embodying a fulcrum I B, lever means Il carried by said fulcrum and connected to valves I4, means I8 for both creating pressure in chamber I I and actuating lever means Il, and

3 means I9 for adjusting the operative movement of means I8.

The body ID is shown as a metal block having a projection ZI that is adapted to be directed toward the combustion chamber of an engine, ears 22 on the block serving as means to effect mounting of the body on the cylinder head of the engine. It is understood that outlets I3 terminate at or short of the combustion chamber.

Pressure chamber I I is formed by an elongated bore 23 across the lower portion of block 28, a larger eccentric counterbore 24 extending from bore 23, bores 25 and 26 transverse to and open-- ing into counterbore 24 and accommodating valve means I4, a bore 21 transverse to and opening into bore 22 and accommodating means I8, a bore 28 opening intoI counterbore 2.4 on the opposite side to bores 25 and 23 and accommodating valve means I5, and various bores 29, either converging 4at a common point as shown, or separated and opening into counterbore 24', said bores 29 constituting access openings for adjusting the action of lever means 'I'I and of control' valves I4. Chamber II, except as hereinafter described, is closed by a plug 38' at the endv of counterbore 24, plug 3I at the end of bore 28, and plug 32 at the common end of bores 2B.

Fuel inlet I2 is shown as a iitting. 33 connected to a side of block 28- and opening in a port 34 in communication with bore 28. As will later be clear, fitting 33 s connected to a fuel source which is maintained under supply pressure so that fuel is always brought to inlet I2.

Fuel outlet means I3 is rshown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 as two bottom-closed housings 35 and 38 that extend from extension 2l. Said housings are affixed, in side-by-side arrangement, in a fitting 31 that is provided with a flange 38. A collar 39, threadedly connected to extension 2|, has a flange 48 that locks' flange 38 to the end of extension 2I. Mounted in this manner, means I3 is replaceably secured in position. The closed ends of housings 35 and 3B are provided with conical valve seats 4I above which extend fuelconducting passages 42. The corneal wall 43 of each valve seat is provided with one or more small oriiices 44, the same being directed to spray fuel into a combustion chamber.

In the modication of Fig. '7, a single endclosed housing 45 i's used instead of the two above r described, the same having a conical seat 46 in the wall /I'I' of which is provided longitudinally spaced oricesA 48 and 49, respectively comparable to orifices 44 of housings 42 and 43.

The control valve means I4 that is shown in Figs. 1, 5 ,and 6 comprises tWo stems 5I) and 5I arranged in respective bores 25 and 25 and terminating in needle valves 52 operatively associated with seats 4l, and, when engaged with said seats, closing orices 84. Each stem 58, 5I is urged to orice-closing position by an expansion spring 53 confined between a collar 54 on each stem and a shoulderY 55 provided in each bore 25, 25. Springs 53 have considerable force which in practice is some forty pounds and it will be clear that the needle valves are raised from their seats against the force of the springs. The ends of stems 50' and 5I opposite to the needle valves 52 are provided with screw threads 56 and with end slots or the like 5I, said threaded ends projecting transversely through chamber counterbore 24 and into bores 29 so that upon removal of plug 32, a suitable tool may be introduced into said bores 23 to rotationally adjust the stems. Stem 50 is provided with a nut 58 and stem 5I with a similar nut 59, said nuts being provided with flat-sided ends 6B that are engaged to mutually hold the nuts against rotation. Thus, the mentioned rotation of the stems longitudinally adjusts said nuts relatively so that they may be aligned or offset longitudinally, as desired. Each nut is provided with a semispherical end 6I substantially as shown.

The control valve means I4 shown in Fig. 7, instead of the side-by-side stems 538 and 5I, comprises a stem 82 and a sleeve 8f3 therearound. The end of stem 62 is provided with a needle valve 54 that is operatively associated with seat IIS` to control oriiice 48 and sleeve 63 has a needle valve `65 also operatively associated with seat 4b to control orifice 49. An expansion spring 66 urges stem 52 in a direction to engage seat 45 and an expansion spring 8l urges sleeve G3 in the same direction, said springs 56 and G'I being comparable in function to springs 53. Only stem 52' extends into bores 24 and 29 as do stems 5U and- 5 I, and the same has threads 56v and is tted with a nut- 58 similar to' either nut 58 or 59.

While the drawings show two ways of providing two needle valve-controlled injection oriiices, the same are intended asl exemplary since more than two valves, whether side-by-side o-r concentric, may be provided. Also, each needle valve 52, 54 or 55 may control one or more oriiices, asdesired.

The spill and inlet valve means I5 comprises a fitting 69 threadedly positioned in bore' 28 against a shoulder 'I8 provided i-n said bore. Said fitting has an axial passage 'II and, at its inner end, is provided with a conical valve seat l2. A valve '.13 is associated with 'said seat and is integrally provid-ed with a stem 74 loosely guided in passage 'II. An expansion spring 'I5 is employed to urge valve 'I3 against its seat 'I2, the same being coniined between an annular shoulder 'I5 on iittng 58 and the head Il of a stem 'I8 threadedly connected to stem 'Ill of valve 73. It will be clear that fuel from inlet I2 can pass into chamber I-Iy past valve means I5 only when valve 'I3 is unseated.

The-fulcrurn i8 is shown as integral with valve 'lf3 and comprises a ring TS having its axis generally on the axis of counterbore 24. The opening in said ring` is large enough to provide adequate clearance for lever means I'I which extends therethrough. A teeter or knife-edge SI is provided in ring 'I8 substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

The lever means I'I is shown as a lever 82 that is provided, intermediate its length, with a depression 83 receptive of edge BI, said depression and edge constituting a pivot or fulcrum for lever 82, which, while` on its fulcrum, is a lever of the iirst class. The' power 84y of said lever extends into operative' engagement with means I8 and the work arm 85 is operatively connected` to control valve means I4, the former arm being substantially longer than the latter.

As best seen in Fig. 3, stems 5D and 5I extend throughl holes 88 provided in arm 85 and ends 6I of nuts 58 and 59 operatively engage seats 81 and 88, respectively formed in said arm. It will be clear that depression of lever arm 84 results in raising of arm 85 and lifting of stems 50 and 5I against the force of their'springs 53.

The outer end of lever arm 85 is provided with a screw or block 89 that is adjustable (access thereto being had through one of the bores 29) as desired to achieve contact with wall of counterbore 24. Thus, when lever 82v is rocked on its fulcrum 8|, 83, screw 89 will encounter wall 90 to constitute a new fulcrum for the lever which, thereby, becomes a lever of the second class. This new fulcrum being at one end of the lever, and the force provided by means I8 being at the other end, the valve 13 and ring 19 of valve means I5 are moved in a direction away from fitting 89 and inlet I2 is opened. This action will later be more fully described,

The means I8 is shown as a plunger 9| that has one end 92 operatively associated with the power arm 84 of lever means I1, and the opposite end 93 engaged with a rocker arm 94 controlled by a cam 95. Plunger 9| is accurately fitted in sleeve 96 that is tightly held in place by a nut 91 to insure against pressure and liquid leakage from chamber |I. It will be clear that rotation of cam 95 first projects plunger 9| into chamber II and then releases the plunger for retraction. Thus, the plunger intermittently engages lever arm 84 while increasing the pressure in said chamber.

The retractive movement of plunger 9| is caused by a spring 98 that is engaged between a collar 99 on the plunger and a seat |00 provided in nut 91.

The means I9 controls the stroke of plunger 9| and comprises an arm IOI connected to nut 91 by a coarse thread |92, the spring 98 normally urging collar 99 against face |03 of said arm. The position shown provides for maximum stroke of the plunger and it will be evident that inward adjustment of arm I0! will limit the retractive movement of the4 plunger accordingly.

The means I9 that is illustrated can be adjusted so that plunger end 92, by having greater or lesser displacement in chamber II, controls or meters the amount of fuel that enters said chamber through valve I5. This simple design would serve for a single cylinder engine, but it would be somewhat cumbersome to provide such means for each cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine. Accordingly, in the latter case, arm IOI would be omitted or replaced by a fixed abutment and spring 98 reversed to urge plunger 9| into chamber II. Thus, the spring would respond to pressure on end 92 of the plunger. By providing a metering variablevolume supply pump to feed each inlet I2 of a multi-cylinder engine, a metered quantity of fuel is introduced into the chamber II of each injector unit, each plunger 9| retracting accordingly since its retractive movement is a function of the displacement of the supply pump. Per se, the means I9 shown and the alternative above described are intended to disclose exemplary ways of replenishing chamber after a discharge of fuel at outlet means I8 to restore a full charge of fuel to said chamber, since eflicient operation depends ori creating a high unit pressure in the chamber.

In the form shown, cam 95 is designed to rst move plunger end 92 toward lever arm 84 without encountering said lever arm. This cam movement may extend through about 90, as shown at |04, to cause this pressure-creating movement of the plunger by cam rise |85. A unit pressure approaching 4000 p. s. i. in chamber I| can be achieved by this initial movement of the plunger. The next angular movement of the cam, as shown at |06, causes cam rise |91 to further project plunger 9I to rock lever means I1 on fulcrum 8|, 83. This movement institutes lifting of needle valves 52 or 64 and 65, as the case may be. As orifices 41| or 48 and 49 achieve full open condition, screw 89 achieves contact with chamber wall 90. The next angular movement of the cam, as shown at |08, causes cam rise |09 to further project plunger 9| to rock lever 82 on its newly established fulcrum 89, 90, causing valve 13 to be unseated.

Since the second increment of movement of the plunger is the period during which the injection orifices are uncovered, the pressure in chamber I I will, at high velocity, propel a charge of fuel through said orifices and the pressure in chamber I I will drop or decay. Thus, when valve I3 is unseated, fuel from inlet I2 ca-n enter chamber Il, and will do so upon the retraction of plunger 9| as permitted by cam 95. When lever 82 rocks on fulcrum 89, 90, the seats 81 and 88 thereof fall away from nuts 58 and 59, respectively, to thereby release stems 50 and 5I and allow springs 53 to return the needle valves to orifice-closing position.

It will be noted that the angular travel of cam rise |01 is relatively small and represents but a small fraction of a second in time that the needle valves are raised. The angular travel of cam rise |09 is still smaller `so that instantly that the orices are fully uncovered, lever 82 falls away and the needle valve closes suddenly.

As cam fall IIIl allows plunger 9| to retract by displacement thereof of fuel entering chamber II, there is no appreciable increase in pressure in said chamber which remains at about the pressure of the fuel supply `connected to inlet I2. When plunger 9| is fully retracted, taking into account adjusting means I9, the pressure in chamber I I is substantially balanced by the pressure in inlet I2. Thus, spring 15 will seat valve 13.

When an engine is under full load it requires more fuel than when under a lesser load or when idling. This variable full charge is difficult to obtain with a single jet or orifice and yet retain an increasing rate of fuel discharge. In the present case, the plural outlets provide for one opening under idling conditions and both (or more, if more than two outlets are used) under load conditions. To this end, one stem-the stem 50--is raised before the other stem 5|. In Fig. 8, graph line III represents the growth of the area of orifice 44 in housing 35 as the needlevalve of stem 50 is raised, and graph line ||2 represents the growth of the area of orice 44 in housing 35 as the needle valve of stem 5I is raised.

By adjusting nut 59 to have lost-motion engagement with seat 88, as shown in Fig. 3, one orice 44 will open first and then the other, and, nally, both orifices will be open together. This results in a growth of both orifices that is represented by graph line IIS. For two and onehalf units of travel of pump or plunger 9|, one orifice increasingly opens. This represents a relatively small amount of fuel discharge. Then, as said one orifice continues to increase in eifective size, the other orifice begins to open and the two orifices combine to give the increasing rate of growth size suggested by line I3. Finally, as lever 82 falls away to release stems 50 and 5|, springs 53 suddenly close both orifices simultaneously.

When the engine is idling, arm I0| is adjusted to limit the recovery or retractive stroke of plunger 9| which, therefore, has an initial fuel compressing stroke that is proportionally smaller. This creates a lesser pressure in chamber I I than the 4000 p. s. i. created by a full stroke. Conse- 7 quently, when stem is lifted', the fuel injection is in smaller quantity by reason of such lower injection pressure. Also, the time of the angular cam movement 106 is greater than before. During this time, the decay of ,pressure in chamber l l is such that valve l5 will open before lever 82 has had an opportunityv to raise stem 5i and said lever will fall away as fulcrum ring 'it falls away with valve 13. In any case, this decay of pressure allows spring 53 of stem 5i to hold the needle valve thereof closed even if valve '113 remains seated. In other words, the force of said spring 53 of stem 5l overcomes the pressure holding valve i3 seated and lever 82 falls away without opening the second orifice.

In Fig. T, the lost motion at 6l, B8 has its counterpart in a transverse screw H4 carried by sleeve 53 and operating in a slot H5 in stem 62. A gauge block Il@ gauges the amount of lost motion. In all other respects the modification of Fig. '7 is like and functions in the same manner as the fully described form of injector.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiments, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular forms of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired 'to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a fuel injector, a body having a fuel cham ber therein, an outlet for the fuel in said chamber comprising at least wo valve-controlled orifices, plunger means to place the fuel in said chamber under pressure, lever means movable by the mentioned means and disposed within said chamber and connected to the valves controlling said oriiices to move valves to successively uncover said orifices while the fuel in said chamber is maintained under pressure by the plunger means, a movable spring-biased fulcrum for the ever means held in one position by said fuel pressure and while the orifices are opening, and spring means eiective upon decay of pressure in the fuel chamber that results from discharge of fuel through said orifices to move said valves to close said orifices and simultaneously move the spring-biased fulcrum to release the lever to move with said valves when closing.

2. The fuel injector according to claim 1: the mentioned valves being arranged in side-by-side relationship.

3. The fuel injector according to claim 1: the mentioned valves being eoncentricallyv arranged.

4. In a fuel injector, a body having a fuel chamber therein, said chamber having a valvecontrolled inlet and a valve-controlled outlet, resilient means urging the valves of said inlet and outlet closed, a plunger having an end movable into the chamber to apply pressure upon the fuel in the chamber and said pressure supplementing the force of the resilient means to hold said vel es closed, and means disposed1 within the chamber and engaged with and moved by said plunger end, said means being operatively connected to both the inlet and outlet valves to open the latter when moved by the plunger end and against the pressure in the chamber and to open the former against the force of the resilient means upon decay of the pressure in' the 8 chamber that results from opening of the outlet valve.

5. In a fuel injector, a body having a fuel chamber therein, said chamber having a valvecontrolled inlet and a valve-controlled outlet, resilient means urging the valves of said inlet and outlet closed, a plunger having an end movable into the chamber to apply pressure upon the fuel in the chamber and said pressure supplementing the force of resilient means to hold said valves closed, and means disposed within the chamber and engaged with and moved by said plunger end, said means being operatively connected to both the inlet and outlet valves to open the latter when moved by the plunger end and against the pressure in the chamber and to open the former against the force of the resilient means upon decay of the pressure in the chamber that results from opening of the outlet valve, said means comprising a lever having one end in the path of movement of the plunger and the other end connected to the outlet valve, and a fulcrum element carried by the inlet valve and engaged with the lever intermediate its ends.

6. In a fuel injector, a body having a fuel chamber therein, said chamber having a valve controlled inlet and a valve-controlled outlet, resilient means urging the valves of said inlet and outlet closed, a plunger having an end movable into the chamber to apply pressure upon the fuel in the chamber and said pressure supplementing the force of the resilient means to hold said valves closed, means disposed within the chamber and engaged with and moved by said plunger end, said means being operatively connected to both the inlet and outlet valves to open the latter when moved by the plunger end and against the pressure in the chamber and to open the former against the force of the resilient means, said means comprising a lever having one end in the path of movement of the plunger and the other end connected to the outlet valve, a fulcrum element carried by the inlet valve and engaged with the lever intermediate its end, and an adjustable member in the outer end of said other end of the lever and adapted to engage a wall of the chamber to constitute a fulcrum for the lever upon opening movement of the inlet valve and fulcruni element.

7. In a fuel injector, two fuel injection valves, a lever having a power arm and a woric arm, a pivot for said lever, plunger means to rock the lever on its pivot, an abutment connection between the work arm and one of said valves to move said valve to open position upon rocking of the lever by the plunger means, a lost motion abutment connection between said work arm and the other valve to move said other valve to open position sequentially to the movement of the rst valve, spring means to return both valves to closed position upon release thereof by the lever, a pressure chamber in which said lever, pivot and valves reside and said plunger means being arranged to move into said chamber to increase pressure therein.

8. In a fuel injector, two fuel injection valves, a lever having a power arm and a work arm, a pivot for said lever, plunger means to rock the lever on its pivot, an abutment connection between the work arm and one of said valves to move said valve to open position upon rocking of the lever by the plunger` means, a lost motion abutment connection between said work arm and the other valve to move said other valve to open position sequentially to the movement of the i'lrst valve, spring means to return both valves to closed position upon release thereof by the lever, said lever, pivot and valves residing in a pressure chamber and said plunger means moving into said chamber to increase pressure therein, and a spring-biased inlet valve for said chamber and held closed by said spring and the pressure in the chamber, said inlet valve being connected to the pivot and moving to open position against the bias spring upon release of pressure in the chamber that follows opening of the fuel injection valves, said opening movement of the inlet valve moving the lever pivot to allow the lever to release the injection valves.

9. In a fuel injector, two fuel injection valves,

a lever having a power arm and a Work arm, a pivot for said lever, plunger means to rock the lever on its pivot, an abutment connection between the work arm and one of said valves to move said valve to open position upon rocking of t the lever by the plunger means, a lost motion abutment connection between said valve and the other injection valve to move said other valve to open position sequentially to the movement of the nrst valve, spring means to return both valves to closed position upon release thereof by the lever, and a pressure chamber in which said lever, pivot, spring means and valves reside and said plunger means moving into said chamber to increase pressure therein and rocking the lever to move the valves to open position sequentially during such increase of pressure.

10. In a fuel injector, two fuel injection valves, a lever having a power arm and a Work arm, a pivot for said lever, plunger means to rock the lever on its pivot, an abutment connection between the Work arm and one of said valves to move said valve to open position upon rocking of the lever by the plunger means, a lost motion abutment connection between said valve and the other injection valve to move said other valve to open position sequentially to the movement of the first valve, spring means to return both valves to closed position upon release thereof by the lever, a pressure chamber in which said lever, pivot, spring means and valves reside and said plunger means moving into said chamber to increase pressure tnerein, an inlet valve for said chamber and held closed by the bias spring and the pressure in the chamber, said inlet valve being connected to the pivot and moving to open position against the bias spring upon release of pressure that follows opening of the fuel injection valves, said opening movement of the inlet valve moving the lever pivot to allow the lever to release the injection valves.

11. ln a fuel injector, a body having a fuel chamber therein, an outlet for the fuel in the chamber comprising at least two orifices, the combined area of said orifices constituting the maximum outlet of said chamber, a valve controlling each of said orices, means to place the fuel in said chamber under pressure while said valves are positioned to close the respective orices, and fulcrumed means movable by the mentioned means and disposed Within said chamber and operatively connected to said valves to move the same successively to uncover the orifices successively to, thereby vary and increasingly enlarge the effective area of the outlet from closed maximum size.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,897,290 Wuterich Feb. 14, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 141,681 Great Britain Mar. l1, 1920 340,202 Germany Sept. 3, 1921 

